Comments from folks who grew up in the 1970's and 80's - click on image to view Photo Gallery by Don Boyd at pbase.com

Comments from folks who grew up in the 1970's and 80's - click on image to view

By request I've added this comments section for the younger crowd who grew up in the Miami area during the 1970's and 80's. They too have seen their share of changes and disappearing acts in the area they grew up in and they need a separate comments area from the older crowd comments section.

Comments for those who grew up in Miami in the 1970's and 80's

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VtssclRes		15-Sep-2024 22:05
[url=][/url] Tegs: [u][/u] [i][/i] [b][/b]

Labnclraw		14-Sep-2024 04:28
[url=][/url] Tegs: [u][/u] [i][/i] [b][/b]

Carmen		02-Mar-2024 21:27
👋🏻 I have to ask someone It’s driving me crazy! There was a drive thru crab 🦀 place on the 79 Street Causeway south side of the street just before the first bridge heading east. You could get buckets of buttered garlic blue crabs, snow crabs and I think shrimp 🦐 also. Sides were baked potatoes and buttered corn. There was sitting inside too and the decor was very nautical, grey, white and light blue undertones. Going back to the late 70s, early 80s. Help!!!

Sergio Romero		04-Oct-2018 17:10
I hope this site continues to exist even though Don has passed, I am sure he would have wanted that.

Don Boyd		12-Feb-2016 17:55
To "idp" - thank you for posting and hopefully "GuestJLM" will somehow find his way back to this page and respond to your comments. Thank you for posting your comments about old Hialeah. The bulk store on the south side of W. 49th Street by the Palmetto was "XTRA" and they lasted a few years as I recall. What part of upstate New York are you in now? New York State is beautiful, contrary to what a lot of people think who only envision New York City when the "New York" is mentioned and I like going up there in the fall to shoot the gorgeous changing leaves. Don .

idp		12-Feb-2016 14:26
This is to guestjlm: I grew up 2 blocks from N. Hialeah Baptist Church and our family were members there until the 2000s (when my husband became a pastor and we started serving at Westland Baptist). I was born in 1965 so I'm sure I was there when you went there. You can email me at iperchitti@gmail.com because if I knew your name I will probably remember you. I graduated from Dade Christian School in 1983 and then went to Miami-Dade Comm. College. I LOVE this site... I remember Farrell's (the Kitchen Sink and the Pig Trough were the big ice cream treats, and the serving staff singing happy birthday and ringing the bell!), all the other stores at Westland Mall (Burdines and Barefoot Mailman, anyone?), the rollerskating rink and the slide on the west side of the Palmetto off 49th Street, Zayre's (where I got my ears pierced), the Treasury, G. C. Murphy's and the movie theater that used to be in Palm Springs Plaza (my mother would drop off my brother and I to see a movie), the bowling alley. I can't remember the name of it but there was a huge bulk grocery store on the south side of 49th Street by the Palmetto (there is a Home Depot there now, I believe) where you could get humongous oranges and apples. I also remember going to Haulover Beach, the Serpentarium, the Planetarium, Crandon Park Zoo and riding the train around the zoo. The old Miami Herald Building, and getting hot donuts at Krispy Kreme in N. Miami. I went on a school tour of the Pepsi-Cola plant off the Palmetto (remember the big Pepsi sign?) I rode my bike to my piano teacher's house for piano lessons (unheard of now!) When I got old enough to date, there was Cracker's nightclub in Miami Lakes (when there were still a lot of cow pastures there), Studebaker's down in Kendall, and strolling along the water at Bayside. WOW, so many fond memories of growing up in Hialeah! Now we live in upstate New York...what a change!

Don Boyd		22-Jan-2015 07:26
Guest from 11-March-2014: thank you for your comments. I'm glad that you enjoy the site. Guest from 22-January-2015: I remember Toby's and eating there a few times as a kid but I can't remember the location. Weren't there several locations or am I mistaken? I distinctly remember the Ranch House on 79th Street and about NW 5th Avenue on the north side of 79th Street? The reason I remember it is that in 1965 my girlfriend's mom worked there as a waitress and we went there several times. Her mom's name was Mary and she was very nice. There is one original Ranch House left and it is located at 1548 W. 84th Street in Hialeah (NW 138th Street in county address). I've been eating breakfast there every Saturday for over a year. It was recently sold to new owners and they are improving the menu by using fresh food instead of canned and other improvements. Thank you for posting. Don .

Guest		22-Jan-2015 01:24
Does anyone remember Toby's restaurant in downtown Miami off I-95 or the Ranch House on 79 St

Guest		11-Mar-2014 23:25
Don found this site several years ago and keep coming back. It is a joy to see our old Miami. Thank you!

Don Boyd		03-Mar-2014 02:55
To Lauren with the private messages: I have forwarded your comments to Jimmy Whitaker who is on Facebook and one of my friends. Your e-mail address was included so perhaps he will answer you as I requested. Thank you for your kind words regarding the family and their generosity in sharing their tower with so many others over the years. Best regards, Don .

Lauren		02-Mar-2014 19:09
I'm an old family friend of The Whitaker Family and although I havn't read the whole 70's & 80's comment section..and I knew them also in the late 60's, I wanted to to mention them, in case know one else has. I just want to give them alot of credit for building the Whitaker Tower as they call it..and mention that I and alot of children all over the Palm Springs, Hialeah area enjoyed wonderful days on the lake and jumping off the tower swing into the lake. And, I myself have wonderful memories of beautiful sunny days on the lake. I just want to say The Whitakers were great people for letting children from all over come and enjoy themselves, in their backyard. I don't know if anyone has posted anything about this, but, I just wanted to give them alot of credit for what they did for alot of children, back in the 60's 70's 80's and on..I'm not sure if it still exists.. today.

Guest		31-Jul-2013 01:53
I think it very interesting how some folks posting here who grew up in Miami during the 70’s and 80’s choose to gloss over numerous very negative events that occurred there as well as some actually having the resolve to bring them up. Without a doubt the single most controversial subject is the massive influx of Hispanic immigrants and how that specific experience, which spanned 3 decades, completely and permanently, changed the cultural landscape of Miami and South Florida as a whole. Without a doubt, I would say that the “white-flight” that occurred between the 1970’s and the late 90’s was probably the largest single episode of its type in U.S. history. And what’s ironic is that no government agency has ever done a legitimate study on this particular resettlement. What started out as the Pedro-Pan freedom flights and ultimately culminated with the Mariel boat lift virtually eliminated an entire quasi-indigenous ethnic group in Miami that had existed since the turn of the 19th century. The paradox of the whole episode is that the displaced natural born Americans from the region became refuges themselves, having to look for new employment in other areas of North and Central Florida and beyond. I suppose one could argue that Miami is now the cultural melting pot of the Caribbean etc., but one would be remiss to ignore the great corporations that once thrived in the area and now no longer exist. Obviously the 3 major airlines at MIA come to mind, with Pan American being the largest. At one time Eastern airlines was the largest employer in the state of Florida. Being born and raised in Miami, and witnessing the entire event described above has given me pause to fondly recall memories of the area without honestly considering the major, cultural upheaval that took place there. On the night of the McDuffie acquittals I was driving with a friend down Grand avenue in coconut grove, I had no real understanding of the devastation that was about to occur and was in the wrong place at the exact wrong time. If it was not for Reverend Theodore Gibson stepping out in front of our car and vehemently warning us to turn around and go back the other way, I would have probably lost my life that night. So no, when I really think about the place, I think I witnessed a community in turmoil and pushed to the brink of destruction. And I think it would be fair to say that most of the posters here who lived in Miami back in those days are now gone. It’s actually pretty sad to be honest.

Jim Latham		09-Mar-2013 16:02
We went to our old house a couple of years ago, on w 9th ct, south of 49th st. We sold it in '72. The buyers still lived there and spoke very little English. They welcomed us in and everything was redecorated of course except for the bathroom. They kept it exactly the same as if they expected us back years later to reminisce. They led us to the bathroom and we were amazed. It was like stepping back in time. There was a tile in the shower that gave hollow sound when you knocked on it. Of coarse I couldn't resist. They began laughing and nodding with approval. Amazing how they preserved the bathroom, apparently for us, decades later. OK, no bathroom joke : )

Tony		23-Dec-2012 23:12
Does anybody remember Baratta's Italian Grocery & Deli on 8thStreet, which is now Little Havana?

Guest		23-Jul-2012 02:49
Leighton, I totally remember Venetion Pool and the tunnel.. it scared me too!! and that water was sooooo cold!!!!! and as for guest.. from 2/2/2011 I agree with you.. I remember adam walsh and the bit with halloween.. really stunk! I was there through Andrew.. although I lived in westchester and not homestead where most the damage was caused.. freakin scarey though. I remember the national guard there parked in Miami dade Youth Fair grounds. I loved crandon park and miami beach..Tropical park was my frequent place and tamiami park.. I loved the daily 4:30 thunderstorm during the summer..... I went to Banyan, also atlantic christian and central christian..( I bounced around)....rockway , Southwest Miami and Coral Park.. I bowled at BirdBowl... Worked at McDonalds.. and had to learn spanish to accomodate the non english speaking customers.. I did feel the anti-american vibe and had even asked that very question of why did they leave cuba if it was so great? but I must say most cubans I knew were good people. especially the ones who came over in the 70's.. If I think of more i'll post again.. Marie

Leighton		12-May-2012 06:42
I should state that my Dad was a preacher in Miami (he still is, at 81!, in TN), Miami Christian was very fundamentalist at that time. At random, they'd require girls to kneel on the pavement, and measure their skirts. My father objected to that! My mother, the minister's wife, wore go-go boots and mini-skirts! We rode a bus out to the boondocks on West Flagler, where the school still is (no longer remote). One day, as I've told many-a-time, the bus driver caught my sister lying about chewing gum (THE HORROR), and had her come to the front of the bus, where, while driving, he yanked her hair back-and-forth WHILE DRIVING!!!! Good grief - child abuse these days! The school is predominantly Cuban today, What a weird time! The same guy would swallow gold fish when fundraising was met......another big NO-NO these days. I loved Crandon Park, Dadeland, Venetian Pool and the Farm Stores. Banana bikes were a MUST!

Leighton		12-May-2012 06:09
I was born in 1962 - and moved to Miami when I was five. My parents found a way to send me to Miami Christian School, as I remember that busing was such a huge topic in our youth. I hated "new" math (idiotic), and the SRE reading program was equally, a bad idea. I read more books than anyone in any of my yearly classes, but found the tests and booklets to be very badly prepared. I also remember the horrible time shifts for public school kids, at that time. One of the bus stops was in front of our house, and there were kids out there at 6:30 AM! Crazy. By the time that we moved away from Miami in 1973, all of our neighbors were Cuban, and we got along with them very well. I knew no black children in Miami (actually, my current friends tell me that we're moving away from "African American"). I returned to Miami in 1982, to attend UM, and honestly, I don't remember a black student there, either, in my classes....odd. We moved to West TN after Miami, and there was no racial tension, and we had a large black population. How interesting, that our experiences have been so different. Of course, I missed the riots of 1980. I was obviously not exposed to Miami's problems during that time.

Guest		03-May-2012 00:18
Obviously I didn't learn how to spell busing properly! But I am curious about other people's memories of busing. I would like to hear African American perspectives who also went through bussing to Sunset Elementary. Why was it so much nicer for me as a nerdy white girl at Carver vs Sunset in terms of racial interactions?

Susan		02-May-2012 23:53
I searched bussing and Coral Gables and came up with the site. Are you still taking posts? I just watched "the Help" and it brought back some memories of bussing. I went to Sunset Elementary but I was not a wealthy white girl. I remember very well getting teased and harrassed by the black children that were sent to Sunset. But worse I remember the way a black boy and girl were disciplined. They were brought to the front of my class in 5th or 6th grade. I was born in August 1961, And the girl was named Katherine ( I don't remember her last name) the boy I don't remember his name. But the principal or some male not my teacher beat them terribly with a blackboard pointer while they screamed and I cried. Later I remember going home sick with a stomach ache. Katherine had bullied me but I could not bear the sight of these children being beaten at the front of our room. And then another race related thing. A girl named Edith (white) got her period at school. At recess the black girls got her and surrounded her and in a circle chanted and clapped "Edith's period, HAS COME" over and over while Edith cried in the middle of the circle. Edith was like me socially, not a very popular girl. I was SO scared to go to Carver. But it was fine. I never had a problem there. I had the same typing teacher. I had a female math teacher who was black who was as beautiful tall and elegant as a person could be. I never remember being teased at Carver. I do remember Sunset had "tracked" me into regular reading class but Carver after testing moved a whole bunch of children around. And about 6 kids were put into a harder reader class. And they chose me for a seperate reading class. It was honors. I was so proud. They also put me in a gifted class that was once a week. I also remember having to wear those bloomers for PE. Carver was great. I often wish I had the chance to go to Ponce because I was on a really great "track" at Carver. But we moved to South Miami and I went to South Miami Junior High and the High School. There was no where near the racial tension there. Everyone just left eachother alone. I went back to Coral Gables High for a short while in 11th grade. It was because they did not have Latin 2 at South Miami. So they allowed me to go to Coral Gables. The bathrooms and PE I remember the racial tension came back. But I also was sad because the classes were so much harder and I was ill prepared from the last three years in South Miami system to keep up with Coral Gables, especially in Latin. So I went back to South Miami. It is sort of sad to me now. I would be interested in reading some of the not so perfect memories from growing up in those days. I loved Publix, Dante Fascell Park, I loved going down to the Riviera Canal and watching the Manatees ( we called them Sea Cows ). I really loved later the bike paths that we so safe to Matheson Hammock. Yes I rode my banana seat bike to the 5 and 10 near Red and Sunset. I hope my not good memories do not come off as racist. We who lived it know that the black people there started with very difficult roots in our time. I remember some tension with Cubans too. But I mostly remember the generosity of the girl that sat next to me in high school and exp;ained her history and the people across the street when I got older that had me over for coffee and the best pastries ever. I left for Central Coast of California in 1984. By that time Miami had changed a lot. So much it took me awhile to get used to the general friendliness here,

Leighton		04-Jul-2011 04:43
In regards to the Feb guest post...I lived in Miami in the 60s/70s, as a child, and returned to UM in the 80s. I have GREAT memories from both periods, so I'm not in agreement about the negative outlook. Yes, I missed the riots...but had a great time while there in the 80s. I haven't been back in 23 years, but I'd like to see it. I've been warned by everybody and their cousin, about how shocked I'll be, but I expect that I can handle it. While it's sad to see childhood homes altered (and not in a good way), I don't expect time to stand still. I've lived in San Antonio for 22 years, and the changes are quite significant, but such is life...

Leighton		04-Jul-2011 04:33
Guest who mentioned my father....who are you?? We are almost they same age, so I'm assuming that we went to church together... As I've mentioned, my Dad is still preaching in East TN, at 80! And Mom is the organist for him (as well as a church secretary at a Lutheran church). Sorry that I missed your post - I stopped coming in here. Saw street view pics of the old manse. Wow, it has changed! All of the trees gone, and an ugly fence. Sad. Shenandoah had a reunion, of sorts, a bit back. My parents would have gone, but nobody notified them . By the way, I found a web page of pics for the late John Fain

Don Boyd		08-Apr-2011 01:37
GuestJLM: yep, that will do it every time you refresh the screen, for some strange reason. If you leave the page and come back it won't do that. Don

guestjlm		07-Apr-2011 03:48
not sure why this posted 3 times, all I was doing was hitting F5 to refresh my screen, and I don't know how to delete the other 2 posts - hopefully the moderator will delete those more me... Thanks!

guestjlm		07-Apr-2011 02:17
Just found this website and have really enjoyed reading about where I grew up. Let me see if I can stir up a few memories: Born in '53, I spent most of my years in Hialeah. My dad (and his dad) were Civil Engineers and sometimes we moved from one jobsite to another; spent 1st grade in Stuart; 1st half of 2nd grade at Twin Lakes, 2nd half of 2nd grade and all of 3rd grade (Mrs. Mason I think was my teacher) at Shadowlawn Elementary in Naples right after Donna blew through; we lived on The Isle of Capri except that it ended before it got to Marco Island because the bridge was missing thanks to the hurricane. (Literally no one lived there back then - was absolutely stunned at the crowds of people, golf courses and gated communities when I took my son through there a few years ago!) Moved back to Hialeah and attended North Twin Lakes Elementary (brand new school - anybody remember Mr. Chandler for PE?) for 3 years, then Palm Springs Jr. High for 3 years (remember the teacher strikes?), then Hialeah High School for 3 years. Amongst other places, I worked at Farrell's that some of you mentioned below (busboy, waiter, and soda jerk!); also Food Fair at W. 12th Ave and 68th Street, and right across the street at Colonial Drug Store. At Food Fair we used to fight for the chance to bag for Mrs. Shula (very nice lady, not uppity at all) - she tipped very well! And at the drug store I was the prescription delivery guy along with many other duties - I once delivered meds to Jackie Gleason's house somewhere up in N. Miami Lakes - butler answered the door and took the meds - and didn't tip at all... Anyway, went to the UM for a year, then PBAC for a year in W. Palm, then pretty much moved away. Really don't get back much at all except to see my folks who have long since moved to west Ft. Lauderdale, and have not gone into Miami at all since Andrew - didn't want to see Miami like that, wanted to keep my old memories intact. One of my favorite memories as a little kid was going to the summer movie theater down at Red Road and 49th street. We would go to Murphy's first and load up on the much cheaper candy, drinks and popcorn before heading next door to the theater... Seems like those summer movies were about $0.25... My grandparents had a place down on Key Largo right next to Mayo's (anybody remember that place?); had a lot of fun as a kid down there multiple times a year, going out the South Cut I think it was called, fishing around the Red Can (don't remember if that was the actual name, or if it was just a big red floating buoy!) and learning to water ski in Largo Sound... Seems we sometimes shrimped at night in something that might have been called the Gov't Cut just a couple of blocks north of the house. Sometimes we'd go right out to the edge of the Gulf Stream and drift fish in our little 19' 6" twin outboard engine boat; couldn't see land in ANY direction; that was kind of an odd feeling... As a kid, we'd play for hours on end in the undeveloped area kind of west of N. Twin Lakes Elem over to W. 12 Ave.; never any problems at all; sure couldn't do that today. It was kind of out in the area where the newer highschool (new to me, anyway; I moved away just as it was being built) was located; is it N. Hialeah High? Not sure, but I know some of my younger siblings attended there instead of Hialeah High. I do remember when we first moved to Hialeah (and for many years after that) that Miami Lakes was almost all pasture with lots of cattle and horses. We attended church mostly at (I think) N. Hialeah Baptist Church on (I think) N. Palm Ave., seems like it was 10 or so blocks north of HHS. And, as I recall, my last year at HHS we were running double shifts; I think we had around 5,500 kids attending a VERY crowded school; I do remember that my graduating class had 1,100 rowdy teenagers; took about 3.5 hours to run everybody across the stage at some huge downtown auditorium. I also remember when the Palmetto Expressway was not a limited access highway - you could actually take a chance and try to dodge the traffic and dart straight across; until there was a terrible accident with a fuel tanker (I think it was at W. 68th Street and the Palmetto) and the guy was horribly burned to death. It was right after that that they made it a limited access hwy and started putting in interchanges... Okay, I could write forever, but I'll stop for now and see if anything I've said jogs anybody's memory. Oh, wait; one more thing; Marcella's............

Don Boyd		05-Feb-2011 15:38
Guest who posted 2-FEB-11: well said and I thank you for your input and taking the time to write. True enough, as I stated on the front page of the main Old Hialeah/Old Miami/Old South Florida section, the site is dedicated to Baby Boomers like me and folks older than us. As you pointed out, our memories are significantly different than yours and for the kids who grew up after us. Fortunately you have Facebook to meet your needs and I'm a daily Facebook user trying to keep up with a bunch of friends who are all over the country now. Hang in there and again, thank you for writing. Ignacio: thank you for writing and for your comments. Hopefully a lot more photos will be added in the future as time permits and I hope you continue to drop by this site. : ) Don

Ignacio Diaz		04-Feb-2011 22:35
Don, thank you very much for these pictures. I appreciate these pictures tremendously even though some where before my time (T-bred '86, Palm Springs Jr. High, and Twin Lakes Elementary). Although the 70s and 80s were times of great change in the area, I remember my childhood fondly and they were idyllic to me and most of the people I keep in touch through Facebook. Again, thanks. Ignacio Diaz

Guest		02-Feb-2011 02:56
I just have to say that I am a bit offended by some of the comments made about people born to my generation (70s/80s) as to why "we" don't visit this site. I would like to offer the observation that most of the images on here are from Miami prior to the great ethnic changes of the 1980 and 1990s. As such, many people from my generation have no emotional, sentimental, or nostalgic feelings about Miami--their nostalgia is for the land that their parents left, not for the one they settled in. Thus, Facebook offers images that are more familiar and speak more to "our" Miami. I came here because I have a longer family history in Miami. In fact, growing up I was one of only a handful of kids I knew whose parents had moved here prior to the 1970s. As well, I am a historian, and such things naturally interest me. Whereas for many on here, their childhood in Miami of the 1950s,60s, and early-70s was idyllic, for many of my generation it was less so. The late-70s and early-80s was a time of great fear regarding children and their safety (a well noted transformation in the historiography of American childhood): remember Adam Walsh, the child abuse scandal at the day care in Country Walk, the paranoia about Halloween candy that led to daytime trick-or-treating at the Mall, the murder of Jimmy Ryce, etc. Add to this all the serial killers and rapists that were on the loose in Florida in the 1980s--or all the crime that went on in the 1980s because of drug trafficking and the Mariel. If one lived in southern Dade county, like I did, there was also Hurricane Andrew which totally transformed Homestead/ Florida City/ the Redlands--the area became even more of a wasteland as the military pulled out, the few good stores down here closed, and, at least for me, half of my friends moved away. One could add to this a plethora of reasons--including the increased anti-American attitudes of the immigrants--but I would suggest that perhaps my generation has less reasons to be nostalgic. Moreover, I would suggest that the lack of interest by my generation has to do more with the material presented on this website (as it focuses mostly on pre-1975 Miami--I assume the time when the creator of this webpage has the fondest memories). For those of us coming of age after 1975, the story of Miami is one of fear, loss, and alienation. Those of us with longer roots have moved out (often with our whole families) of the county--Tampa, Lakeland, Orlando; or out of state--Georgia and North Carolina. White flight has helped to lessen the already tenuous ties to Miami. For other whose parents arrived in Miami in the late 60s, 70s, or 80s, Miami holds no fond memories: it, like the US, represents the loss of home, exile. Fond memories lie (as one can often see by the rose-tinted glasses immigrants wear when telling stories of their homeland--I have heard more than one person ask, "if Cuba was so much better, why did you leave?") elsewhere.

Guest		02-Jan-2011 04:04
Leighton, (born in 64) we went to church together, I thought your dad was a great guy, I remember him leading Vacation Bible School. I remember the manse you guys lived in off of Flager Street (I helped paint it when the church sold it) I'm enjoying reading all the posts!

Don Boyd		14-Nov-2010 01:32
Dee and Guest: welcome to the site and thank you for your comments and your kind words. I have a huge backlog of photos yet to add so check back from time to time to see what has been added. Don

Dee		13-Nov-2010 19:37
Born in 57 at Jackson and lived in Palm Springs area of Hialeah. Thanks so much for this website. I loved reading the comments about Farrell's at Westland Mall. Thought I was the only one who remembered that terrific place!

Leighton		27-Oct-2010 04:26
Also born in 62, but didn't move to Miami till 67. All of our neighbors off Flagler were Cuban, so we never had an issue with cultural changes, etc. Most of the main room posters appear to have grown up during the 50s, so the regional experiences are quite different. I'm a poster child for life in Miami in the late 60s/early 70s - we all seem to have shared the same memories. Unfortunately, not many from our generation visit this room...

Guest		15-Oct-2010 09:33
Born at North Miami Hospital in 1962 and LOVE this site. Thank you so much to all who have contributed all these wonderful photos and memories---especially Don Boyd for hosting it all. I try to avoid the contentious stuff about how our city has changed. Maybe it's because I come from a family with very deep roots in South Florida but also one with a Cuban stepmother and brother who I love dearly. They ARE just as much a part of Miami (in very good ways) as our shared wanderlust for everything from Skipper Chuck to grabbing brass rings at the pony rides at Northside Shopping Plaza (imagine how long ago that was) or Beer Can Island. And, yes...I can sing the "Johnnie and Mack" jingle, too. Miami is maddening and frustrating---and we all pine for what once was---but a lot of those peoole we think of as the 'other' have been residents for a very long time and truly love the place just as much as we do. It might be good to remember that.

Leighton		20-Sep-2010 07:39
Well, I think that the site has officially derailed. The "main" room has turned into a private chat for about five people, and the topic is the tedious discussion of obvious culture changes since 1955. The world evolves. I enjoy the memories, but NOT the rants. Anybody who has studied the history of immigration in our nation, knows that the impact of each new arrival is inevitable. I love remembering the past, but I don't live there. Good grief.

Guest		14-Aug-2010 03:39
Don, you've done an exceptional job of compiling information from "old" Miami. I was born at Baptist in 1964 and raised in Miami. Both my parents met while working at Pan Am's 36th street location (prior to the merger with Nat'l). My father worked for Pan Am for nearly 40 years starting in the mid 1950's at MIA. I can't begin to explain how breathtakingly surreal it is to see the cultural change. I'm not complaining when I say this, it's just very bittersweet. I’m glad for the memories, but to think nearly every person I knew down there is gone. It’s a feeling you just can’t explain without actually experiencing it yourself.

Leighton		01-Aug-2010 07:45
Ah, somebody from my generation! My sister was born at Doctor's in 69, after my family had moved to Miami from VA, in 67. Everything you said, I remember - born in 62, myself. Loved those Sat. afternoon flicks - including Tarzan. Hope you revisit this room - few folks from our generation bother to post in here....

Guest		24-Jul-2010 19:42
I was born in1965 at Jackson Hospital. I grew up at S.W. 27 S.T. and 30 C.T. When we were kids we rode our bikes and collected bottles and turned them in at 7/11 and bought slurpees. Saturday mornings we ate cereal and watched cartoons. After that parents made you leave the house and not come back until dinner time. I remember watching Creature Feature on Saturdays that played a horror movie from the 30's or 40's. Use to walk over and ride the giant slide at US1. I remember on the east side of US1 at The Falls when for miles that area was fenced off farm land with animals and pony rides. I still live in Miami S.W. 184 S.T. and 137 Ave. Oh and Sunday nights watching Mutual of Omahas Wild Kingdom. emember the old Levi commerical played every summer before school. "Wereing my Levis Lookee hee hee Levis. It showed kids flying through the air.

Don Boyd		10-Jun-2010 13:50
While I don't think the "younger pups" title had anything to do with keeping people away, I have changed the title to see what happens. The 70's and 80's crowd is on Facebook in groups such as the Bird Road Baby Boomers and other groups dedicated to growing up in various parts of south Florida. Don

Leighton		10-Jun-2010 07:54
I know, I know. It's that unfortunate "younger pups" thing that is keeping everyone away. Being that this site ranks near the top at Google, for "Miami history," I keep hoping that some of MY generation pops in here. The banana bike crowd.....

Leighton		13-May-2010 03:16
Shame on you, Stetson, for not navigating more thoroughly. You have been admonished. Hope more people our age come to visit - if only we could get rid of that odd "younger pups" moniker.

Janet		23-Apr-2010 18:31
Leighton, Farrell's in Westland Mall made delicious Reuben Sandwiches too, in addition to their special ice cream. It was a colorful, and fun place to go. There is still a similar place down here- Jaxon's, in Dania on Federal Highway US1, just south of Hollywood- Fort Lauderdale International Airport. Janet B.

Don Boyd		19-Apr-2010 15:54
You should navigate more thoroughly through the entire site. There are photos of Jimmy's Hurricane and a few Royal Castles already up on the site in the Restaurants gallery. There are photos of a housing development in the southwest section with the really tall Dade pines in the 60's gallery. There are numerous photos of downtown Miami in the 60's in the Downtown gallery. I don't have Tahiti Beach yet but someone will contribute one someday, along with photos of the baseball stadium and Orange Bowl. Don

Stetson Glines		19-Apr-2010 15:41
Would love to see a shot of Jummy's Hurricane, various Royal Castles, Pinecrest when there were really pines, Tahiti Beach, a 60's Miami Skyline, the Orange Bowl, Miami Stadium....all here when I was attending the U, now gone, but not forgotten

Leighton		19-Apr-2010 04:18
Ferrell's, with the PLASTIC ANIMALS BURIED IN THE ICE CREAM!!!!! Imagine the lawsuits today. They'd deliver that PILE of multi-flavored deliciousness to your table, with bells and whistles. That was a major, big deal in the early 70s......

cindi		11-Apr-2010 02:36
yep-it has changed, but what hasn't-i grew up in miami springs from birth 1962 till my coral gables firefighter dad moved us to homestead in 1974 , and i remember riding my bike down to burger king by the airport and across the bridge up to mcdonalds in hialeah- wow i would never let my kids do anything like that now!!! and one summer i got desperate and even made it up to westland mall (and yes maybe i had lunch at ferrell's) what great times, i love miami springs!!!

Charles Knight		06-Mar-2010 15:17
Cindy, we went to Rockway at the same time. What neighborhood did you live in? Did you know Dorian Weems? I was a long haired youth and was going steady with her. I worked at Bird Bowl as a porter for awhile and skated at the rink next door.

Guest		05-Mar-2010 06:01
Cindy Martin Ihde, You are absolutely correct. Dade county has changed a lot for the worst since you left . It is not a very safe place to live anymore. You cannot trust strangers, and you must be very careful, as there are lots of rapes and home invasions car thefts , and high overall crime. Be glad you moved away, because this city has gone down the drain. Much luck where you live now. Guest.

Cindy (Martin) Ihde		04-Mar-2010 05:02
I was born in Miami Florida in June of 1956. I went to Olympia Heights Elementary School, Rockway Junior High, and Southwest Miami High, Class of 1975. Some things I remember and some I don't. I know its a whole lot different then when I grew up there. We didn't even lock our doors back then, we walked to school with no hassles. Now they have bars on the windows etc. so different. Back then I really didn't consider myself someone who lived in a big city. I do remember things on Bird Road, remember going to the skating rink there; your folks would just drop you off and come back for you later. I bet they don't do that now. I haven't been to Miami since 1976. Would love to but almost afraid to.

Charles Knight		23-Feb-2010 15:02
Alright Leighton, I'll visit this area a little more often.

Leighton		28-Jan-2010 05:22
I know. My comment was referring to the other room.

Guest		28-Jan-2010 01:56
Leighton, I meant that sincerely, just trying to be nice. I come in peace, Guest.

Leighton		27-Jan-2010 03:51
Ah, a mystery guest. I'm hiding under the children's table - the waving flagpoles might knock me unconscious in the big room.

Guest		25-Jan-2010 18:15
Leighton, I wish you the very best of Luck, in relocating, and in finding work, in your field. Don't let anyone, or anything in the past cloud your future, You are still young. Give Em Hell . Guest.

Leighton		13-Jan-2010 20:19
Even CK won't chat. Sigh - what a sad room this is.......

Leighton		26-Dec-2009 17:17
They're all on Facebook, posting every damn move they make. Seriously, there never really were many people under 55 in here - kids in the late 60s/early 70s. The 80s/90s kids aren't going to come in here at all...I didn't even realize this room specified 80s/90s till now. That puts me between two rooms.....

Charles Knight		17-Dec-2009 20:04
Cough...Ummm...Hello?

Charles Knight		11-Dec-2009 17:14
Creeeeaaaak...The portal opens, he brushes away accumulated cobwebs, looks inside this section and furtively whispers "where has everybody gone?"

Leighton		12-Oct-2009 04:59
Hey, Kenny, Check your e-mail - see if I got it right....

Kenny Blanton		11-Oct-2009 16:58
Hay Leighton!!! Did u finally get settled up here? You're in Johnson City right? Give me a call ANYTIME!!! My number is 863.614.1055. If you don't have unlimited long distance just e-mail me at rvz_rip @ yeahooo (dot) com withm the yeahooo spelled right. BTW, I have NEVER even BEEN on facebook!! I did find some good radio. Radio like it USED TO BE! Its at sofloradio (dot) com. If you liked it when Rick & Suds, Phil Hendrie & Neil Rogers were all on the same station, then you'll like this station.

Kenny Blanton		11-Oct-2009 16:57
Hay Leighton!!! Did u finally get settled up here? You're in Johnson City right? Give me a call ANYTIME!!! My number is 863.614.1055. If you don't my unlimited long distance just e-mail me at rvz_rip @ yeahooo (dot) com withm the yeahooo spelled right. BTW, I have NEVER even BEEN on facebook!! I did find some good radio. Radio like it USED TO BE! Its at sofloradio (dot) com. If you liked it when Rick & Suds, Phil Hendrie & Neil Rogers were all on the same station, then you'll like this station.

Leighton		02-Oct-2009 23:50
Thanks, Don. We'll see what happens. But I fear my generation is too busy droning on about themselves on Facebook. I dropped my account yesterday - just damn tired of reading what everybody was doing every given minute. CRAZY. And they called the 70s the Me Generation! I wonder what the folks in the main room think about Twittiots and Bookers.

Don Boyd		30-Sep-2009 06:50
We can keep it on here in case a gaggle of talkative younger pups find the site someday, Leighton. It's not hurting anything by being here unless you want me to delete it which I'll do. Don

Leighton		29-Sep-2009 18:35
Well, Don Boy, I guess this was a failed experiment. People my age are too busy elsewhere. Oh, well............................

Leighton		13-Sep-2009 00:29
Well, everybody I know in my age bracket seems to spend WAYYYYYYYYYYY too much time in that @#*# Facebook. I have a page, but it is limited. I think the few folks that we had in here drifted away. Sometime, I'll try to touch base with Kenny, as he's only an hour-and-a-half away.

Charles Knight		11-Sep-2009 03:50
We don't even go here!

Leighton		29-Aug-2009 04:56
We should be rambling in here - it seems to work elsewhere. However, I think our generation is too busy on Facebook.

Leighton		18-Aug-2009 02:26
Guest - you must be Kenny. Nope, don't remember the roller skating rink at Crandon Zoo. I was probably too high from those plastic animal molding machines.

Guest		16-Aug-2009 03:17
Hey Leighton & all: I'm still kickin' here in Oak Ridge. Does anybody remember the outdoor roller skating rink at the Crandon Park Zoo?

Leighton		23-Jul-2009 21:34
OK, I'm trying to think of something very personal and Miami-ish to say, to jump start the conversation. It seems to work in the old f.....the other room. Does anybody remember the carnival rides at Crandon Park, when they WEREN'T falling apart? When we moved to Miami in 67, the place was already in shambles, except for the merry-go-'round, and the creepy helicopters with faces.

Charles Knight		18-Jul-2009 05:35
Half Backs...Too funny, good to know they're gone though.

Leighton		17-Jul-2009 03:18
Yes, know Swannanoa well. My parents met and married in nearby Montreat, outside Black Mtn. In the past few years, Black Mtn has really brought itself back, with small shops, and a few restaurants. Was in the area for the 4th. Asheville has been slammed a bit by the recession, but it's only a slight pause. Too many wealthy retirees settling there, and driving up the cost of living. (They kind of muck up local politics, as they have no history in the area, and treat it like South Florida.) I think the term is "half-backs" - Yankee retirees who went to FLA, then decided they didn't like it, and moved halfway back to NY.

Don Boyd		16-Jul-2009 19:55
Sorry, that was a brain fart when I said North Carolina. I knew you were in east Tennessee, I was thinking east Tennessee but my fingers were typing something else. My in-laws lived just east of Asheville (Swannanoa) from 1982 to 1999 and I liked visiting there two or three times a year. The nightlife was kind of dead but that was years ago so maybe that has improved since then. There are a lot of former Miamians in the area and I could never get over how many Florida tags you would see there in the summer. In any event, I hope you can find what you need somewhere up there and you sure won't wrong in the Asheville area. Don

Leighton		16-Jul-2009 16:09
Hello - well, actually, I'm in East TN, jumping over to NC sporadically. Not much luck here, I'm afraid. I do hope to end up in Asheville.

Don Boyd		16-Jul-2009 06:38
So tell us about life in North Carolina, Leighton. Are you still enjoying life up there? Something will come along for you eventually but I suppose you realize that by now. Don

Leighton		16-Jul-2009 04:31
This is ONE dull room.

Leighton		01-Jul-2009 20:17
Enjoying these mountains, but STILL looking for work. Going to spend the 4th at Lake Lure, in NC. Charles, you and Sofia are the only ones who pop in. Kenny is in my neck o' the woods, but he hasn't posted lately. I'm living with parents, and being a kid again, I guess. (Mowing the lawn, watching reruns with my mother and movies with my father. Not bad at 47. Now, if only I could find a good job...)

Charles Knight		27-Jun-2009 05:38
Wow...Do we move slow or what? And we're supposed to be the "young pups"!!!

Leighton		15-Jun-2009 02:17
Nope. Many resumes out, and contacts made, though. Managed to track down my childhood best friend's phone/address in Florida - going to try and call tomorrow - he lives in Sebring. We lived off Flagler in the 60s/70s. (It's amazing what one kind find on the Internet, when sleep won't come.)

Guest		14-Jun-2009 19:19
Job hunt must be tiring any luck yet?

Leighton		14-Jun-2009 07:28
ZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Charles Knight		30-May-2009 05:00
Yeah, I agree Leighton...Nothing quite as nice as innocent toxin...

Leighton		29-May-2009 14:33
I have a distinct memory of the smell at Venetian - a good memory. I suppose a combination of the water, the snack bar, and whatever else. Another distinct "memory smell" is Forum Cafeteria at Dadeland. Besides the obvious food smells, it must have been that small interior fountain near the parking lot entrance. Plus, they were always baking pumpkin pies. And those long, skinny balloons on sticks gave off a definite odor - good old 70s chemicals.

Leighton		14-May-2009 04:57
I dunno - the Clacker paving sounds kinda cool.

Sofia		13-May-2009 23:18
Leighton -- Venetian Pool is very close to my home, and I still go every summer. I went there for the first time when I was 13 while employed during the summer of '76 as a junior counselor for the YMCA. On a few occasions we'd take the kids (five and six-year-olds) to Venetial Pool, and my job was to supervise them. I remember that tunnel being a source of intimidation for many of the kids, especially if it was their first time there. Not to mention they had to concentrate on swimming through it while still recovering from the freezing water. The pool is fed with cool spring water daily, and I'm sure you'll remember that it is COLD. Once you got through the tunnel , certain parts became shallow and what you found in there were either very small kids splashing around and screaming or teenagers getting very up close and personal behind the rocks. There is no pool in the world like Venetian Pool. It's listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Charles Knight		13-May-2009 17:29
Leighton, when "Clackers" were taken off the market my brother bought them by the truckload and crushed them, he the installed them as walk and driveways in central Fl. Man they were ugly!

Leighton		13-May-2009 13:58
Sorry - I think I killed the conversation in here. I'll try to be generic. Hmmmm. OK, Venetian Pool, where I learned to swim. Remember that little underwater "tunnel" in the grotto area? Terrified me. Always thought I'd drown under there. But, when your friends were swimming through it, you couldn't be a baby. Also, as mentioned before, riding one's bike behind the spraying mosquito trucks - how much DDT did I inhale???? Whoo, hoo!! BANANA-SEAT BIKES!! With the rear-seat, extended-upward, attachment. THAT you had to have in 1970, along with a deadly pair of 'Clackers"....

Leighton		05-May-2009 05:01
Kenny, I'll be in Johnson City by June. Kinda freaking out about the whole thing, being 47 and all. (And those friends NEVER brought the tequila, and I'm just now gathering my boxes. Those "friends" sure disappear quickly.)

Kenny Blanton		05-May-2009 02:33
WOW Leighton!!! I've been going through some changes & I am now in East Tennessee!! Oak Ridge, to be presice.(sp) I had to get OUT of Fla. Anyhoo, I'm back on here now & will be checking in often.

Leighton		26-Apr-2009 07:23
BTW, don't know if we're "allowed" to list them, but my e-mail is leightonchapman@hotmail.com. Some friends are going to bring a bottle of tequila over tomorrow, and help me start packing. MUST wake up early and find some boxes.

Leighton		26-Apr-2009 07:06
Thanks, friends. One day at a time.

Charles Knight		25-Apr-2009 19:42
Leighton, I'm very sorry to hear that you are going through such turbulant times, it is times like these where we have to give thanks that we do have family and friends that we can ask for a helping hand or a lift up (so to speak). Count your blessings my friend, and know that my well wishes and prayers are for you. You are a well spoken and obviously rounded person so I'm sure that the future holds great and wonderful things for you...Never, ever,give up!

Sofia		24-Apr-2009 15:58
Leighton - sorry to hear about your business. Spending time with family is always a good thing, so take advantage while they're still around so that there are no regrets later. Positive things come out of what one perceives to be negative at the moment, especially when you're open to change and maintain a good attitude. I learned that lesson a long time ago. I've traveled through Tennessee several times and found the people to be warm and welcoming. I especially liked the Arts & Crafts District near Gatlinburg. I wish you well.

Leighton		24-Apr-2009 08:07
Hey, Charles...I posted in the "main" room...I've pretty much lost everything in this recession, so I'm headed to TN to live with my parents. But, it'll be great to spend some time with them. However, I've been a loner for 30 years, so I'm not sure how I'll process living as a kid, again. Wow, crazy times. Now, to pack up 20 years in Texas - glad there's a big dumpster nearby...

Charles Knight		20-Apr-2009 06:27
Aahhh...Thanks, "I think".

Leighton		18-Apr-2009 08:23
I don't think Ray was too worried about his "mistake" - it wasn't like he parked a car in neutral at the top of a steep hill, with a playground at the bottom.

Sofia		16-Apr-2009 20:05
Ray, the dance music on 92.3 that you're referring to is played on Fridays from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m.

Charles Knight		10-Apr-2009 03:43
It's cool Ray, we all make mistakes, no worries man. I worked as a bartender at Casanova's in Hialeah in the late '70s, talk about dance music...We had Madonna, Fran Jolie, and many more. After we got off at 4:00 am we went to the after hours clubs till 11:00 am then home to bed for a few hours then back to work!!!

Ray		09-Apr-2009 01:28
Let me take back what I said about the Super Q music format being back on 92.3. Been listening today and no hint of the old days. Maybe they were doing a special show or something.

Ray		08-Apr-2009 00:43
If you were into dance music back in the 1980s, you might remember the radio station called Super Q. Many of us Americans would listen to it just to hear dance music that wasn't avaiable on the English speaking stations. They would alternate between a Spanish song and a great dance song in English. Even if we didn't understand the DJ or the commercials we still got into the music. This was before XM, internet streaming or any other ways to get new music into your car or house. I used to work with a guy that claimed to think of that format, Alfredo Monroy, It's kinda back again on 92.3. I tuned to it and this afternoon and the first song I heard was Kid Creole and the Coconuts. I hadn't heard that song in 20 years. I hope they're doing the same type of format for a while. Should bring back some great memories. Ray

Charles Knight		08-Apr-2009 00:30
Well, he was nice to me at any rate, maybe because he thought I had or could have something to offer him? Now that I give it some more thought I guess the potential was there for him to be obnoxious...The time frame certainly fits. Thank God for computers, it's the same with audio.

Leighton		06-Apr-2009 21:23
I was there from 82 - 85, but don't remember a Victor. The look sounds familiar, though. I remember a similar guy threatening me for working too long at the edit bay, one evening. My body-building, Mexican roommate was standing behind the door, and nearly scared the guy to death, when he told him he'd rip his "hippie" hair right out of his head, if he didn't STFU. Wonder if that was Victor? Doubt it, as you say he was a nice-enough kid. My friend wasn't the violent type, so it was all kinda funny, in a way. Ah, those stressful student film deadlines. In the old Bell & Howell, pre-digital era.

Charles Knight		06-Apr-2009 16:54
Aahhh, UM film school...Did you know a guy named Victor? Long blonde hair, fancied himself a"Rockstar", really wasn't though! Hung out around my studio alot, tried to talk me into opening a soundstage for small productions, nice enough kid but he came off sounding like a "Huckster" sometimes. Often wondered what ever became of him.

Leighton		06-Apr-2009 04:01
I can't speak for the whole campus, but the film school crowd didn't hit the bars very often. Most of us had apartments nearby, and saved money by drinking "in" at friends' places. We did go to the outside bar at the Silver Sands Motel on Key Biscayne, but it was cheap, and the beach was right there. South Beach was only starting to kick in at that time. There was so much late-night filming and editing, we got started partying late, if at all.

Charles Knight		05-Apr-2009 18:48
Wow, Rollo's was on Kendall and S. Dixie (US1) just a hop from UM.

Leighton		04-Apr-2009 16:27
It's time people figured out the layout of the site, which is painfully obvious. No lectures, please. Don't know those places, but wasn't much of a bar person in the 80s. UM students stayed on campus, mostly.

Charles Knight		04-Apr-2009 14:34
A blonde,brunette, and redhead walk into a bar, the bartender looks at them and asks...Is this some kind of Joke? It's time to lighten up folks, we've had our say on the subject, and the guilty have paid their dues to society (so to speak). Now...Back to Miami, anyone remember Rollo's? How about Metro 107? These are but two bars from the '80s.

Leighton		03-Apr-2009 22:13
To clarify, folks. The name in BOLD at the top of each listing, is the person writing the post. There is nobody named "Joy" addressing Don - that was Ron, expressing his "feelings." Yikes.

Charles Knight		03-Apr-2009 22:06
I LOVE Cuban food! There are a couple of places in Melbourne that are just like Miami, yeahhh! Cafecito y Media Noches, Ropa Vieja, Plantanos Maduras !!!

Guest 4		03-Apr-2009 21:49
Joy His name is Don. I agree things seem to get out of hand at any age. Although this section would be perfect for you.

Ron		03-Apr-2009 21:04
I just recommended this website to some people on facebook that are all into old Miami and such. I hadn't been on in a while. I'm saddened that this forum has turned into what so many others have, a place for people to start fighting with one another. It seems to be a pattern amongst the older folks. I guess this is what I have to look forward to. Joy. I have enjoyed the photos and the memories. I don't enjoy the drama.

Charles Knight		03-Apr-2009 15:39
I all honesty...I wish harm to no one and I'm sure my fellow writers feel the same. I only question (at times) motives. Obviously some folks have a lot to say, Lord knows I've felt guilty of that infraction on more than one occassion here! I do enjoy reading the musings of others as well. The best thing about Mr. Boyds efforts are the variety of memories, writing styles, and of course...The writers themselves. I guess I'm trying to say that I've no desire to read just one writers version ...That's what books are for, and I although I love them, I come here for variety...Viva La Difference! (Is that right?)

Leighton		02-Apr-2009 23:27
I would welcome that absence - several of the threads have been rendered unreadable...people stopped posting, as well.

Fran		02-Apr-2009 19:46
Leighton and Charles Knight Dear Gents: Seems that Robbin takes exception to your opinions as well as mine. I have no want to get him off these galleries. He worked that deal all by himself. His stability is in question. He is unable to communicate beyond that of a Third Grader. He's right I did say he had the brains of a fly. Really that is the nicest thing I could have said considering his inability to get along with many who do not share his views. Well, gang he claims to not want to post any more. Sorry guys didn't know that I was a part of your group. :)

Leighton		02-Apr-2009 16:03
Sometimes, when I can't sleep at night, I get going on the Internet. This week, I've been reading all about Mr. Haas. Didn't realize that he had moved to the west coast of Florida (?), or that they had demolished the Serpentarium. Also, started reading about Miami theaters (most demolished) at Cinematreasures.com. THAT got me started on GoogleMap street views, and seeing what certain places look like now. Amazing what a person can do on the Internet. It's sad to see how much Mid-Century/60s significant architecture has been lost or bastardized in the Miami area. With no room to expand, I realize that tearing things down is the way it's gonna go, in that "mecca".

Leighton		02-Apr-2009 15:55
I just think it's funny, what Americans of the 70s THOUGHT was "Mexican" food. Keep in mind, I've lived in San Antonio for twenty years, so I have the stuff far too much - Tex-Mex, "border" and "interior". We had one Cuban restaurant that lasted about two years. In the 80s, I lived a few blocks from the 8th Street La Carreta in Miami, and really miss it. People here in SA just don't "get" Cuban food. I don't think "Guest" is Robbin - totally different writing styles - unless I'm looking at the wrong "Guest".

Charles Knight		02-Apr-2009 15:36
If I have offended anyone you have my sincere apologies, it has been a rough few weeks around here but I'll not go into all of that...Everyone has crosses to bear. Hello Leighton, Kenny, and everyone else. Kenny, I remember a "Clubhouse" that some of the men in town (my dad included) built in Swampwater where Flagler entered. There were fish fry's, BBQs, etc. One time a fellow with a Cadillac covered entirely with silver dollars was there although I can't recall as to why...He may have been some semi- famous Country music star. The clubhouse burned down eventually. As I recall there were a lot of indigent folks in Swampwater and there was a toy drive every year to help them out during the holidays. My dad was Chief of Police of Sweetwater and he sometimes patroled on horseback (sans helmet). On the toy drives most everyone that had a horse (and most did) participated. It was a great time and made for some wonderful memories. There was also an Archery Range, and Jackie, "The snake lady" had a small compound there, it was stocked with hundreds of reptiles both venomous and non-venomous. She did a lot of work with Mr. Haas. I particularly remember the Rattlesnake house, it was a good sized building with a truckload of Rattlers in seperate cages for milking. When you walked too close to the building they would start rattling...Once one of them became alarmed they all would, if you've never heard a couple hundred Rattlers go off at one time you're really missing something! Talk about creepy! There was at least one afluent family there though...Owned a construction company I believe, the youngest son and I attended Seminole Elementary school together, I want to say his name was Dale but I'm not sure. Wish I could remember the name "cause it's bugging me now!

Charles Knight		31-Mar-2009 20:52
Hey Leighton, "Guest" just posted a little something about Wayne Cochran ala "Small town boy makes it big". Something to the effect that Mr. Cochran's Mgr. went to school with guest. One can only hope that Mr. Cochran's Mgr. paid more attention in the general high school studies as "Guest" obviously did not. I'm no expert but his spelling and punctuation are atrocious! Kind of like wearing the undies outside of the trousers isn't it? I have't said much lately as "Taco Shells" are a little edgy for a man of my temperment LOL!!! Feeling ornery in Central Florida C.H.KNIGHT A.S.S.H.#.%.*.

Guest		31-Mar-2009 17:06
Funny that you stated a truth about Robbin. He is now writing under the title of guest.?????

Leighton		30-Mar-2009 21:28
At least "Robbin" hasn't discovered this room. I stopped going to those three generic streams at the top of the Galleries page. Good grief. Cinematic Treasures is a great site, if you're interested in what happened to the theaters you went to, as a kid. Didn't realize that both the Dadeland Twin (Triple) AND the Coral Gables Twin (Triple) had bitten the dust. I watched them tear down The Coral in the early 80s. I don't remember The Gables, even from my 60s/70s childhood. I also went to The Miracle. Went to Sunny Isles Twin only once - in 68 to see "Chitty...". The distinct building is still there, but a furniture store.

Leighton		16-Mar-2009 08:25
Hard-shell tacos are an American tradition, I found out. There are a million Tex-Mex places here in SA, and I've yet to find one that serves a hard-shell, beyond a flat chalupa. And very few serve burritos, either. (Actually, I've only seen them in chain restaurants.) We have only a handful of authentic, interior Mexican places, which are even further-removed from Tex-Mex. And to think, growing up in the 70s, the Old El Paso brand hard shells, filled with ground beef, were the rage.

Sofia		13-Mar-2009 20:52
I remember Señor Frogs served both Mexican and Tex-Mex because their menu went beyond your typical hard-shell taco and burrito fare. I remember some elaborate beef and chicken dishes. It's just that with them, it all tasted the same. I've had really good Mexican food in Homestead. In fact, there was a young Mexican guy who used to operate out of a tiny trailer in Everglades National Park who cooked great food. He kept his beer in a portable cooler and had his two underaged kids (probably 10 and 12) serve the food and beer. Seating entailed two dilapidated picnic tables under the stars. It was great! Sometimes the best food is found in family-operated dives.

Charles Knight		13-Mar-2009 03:48
Kenny...Are you still with us?

Leighton		12-Mar-2009 19:27
We've lost several independent restaurants here in SA. People appear to still be flocking to the chains, for some reason. I've spoken to family in TN and NC, and their towns have lost some very unique properties, due to this economic mess.

Leighton		12-Mar-2009 19:23
Frogs was my first exposure to Mexican, in the 80s. My UM roommate was from San Antonio, and I ended up moving here (20 years now), so Tex-Mex is old hat. However, wasn't Frogs more Mexican? (Tex-Mex is a VERY different, and inferior, beast.)

Sofia		12-Mar-2009 14:57
I've never been to the South Beach location, but I googled it and called the number and I got a recording saying the number was disconnected. I never thought the food at Señor Frogs was that great, but it was a fun place to hang out with friends, and I have many good memories of the one in the Grove, especially when it was in its original location east of where it has been for the past several years. I don't know if you remember the Taurus restaurant & lounge, but that closed a few years ago as well for condo development. It was a real shame.

Leighton		10-Mar-2009 22:25
They don't mention that on their web site. Has the South Beach location closed, as well? I think the slump has already become a recession, and I honestly can't imagine us escaping a depression.

Sofia		10-Mar-2009 16:30
I was in the Grove a few days ago. I'm sad to say Señor Frogs has become another victim of the economic slump and has closed.

Leighton		04-Mar-2009 02:43
Oh, yeah, I remember all of what you say about The Grove. The Barnacle was a major cruising place in the mid-80s (from what I heard). Senior Frog's was big back then - I see they are still around? After UM classes every Friday, I'd jump on my ten-speed, and head on over to the Grove. Round trip up to Vizcaya, then head back later in my 68 T-Bird.

Sofia		03-Mar-2009 21:45
Wow, some activity in the younger pups section! Leighton, you bring up the Grove. I will say that it continues to be a beautiful and interesting place. One of my favorite hangouts is The Barnacle, a big piece of property with a home built by a Grove pioneer named Ralph Monroe. Ralph Monroe used to build yachts in the northeast, and he moved to South Florida when it was barely inhabited because his wife had tuberculosis and the climate here is what the doctor said would increase her chances of survival. Anyway, today at the Barnacle they have concerts once a month during the full moon. Presently the Grove is very eclectic. . . gay, straight, Hispanic, Anglo, Jewish, Indian, etc. and every age group imaginable. They have the black neighborhood who are the decendents of the Bahamians who worked the land in the early 1900s. During the late 70s early 80s the Rocky Horror Picture show played Fridays at midnight in the old Grove Theatre. That movie attracted all sorts of freaks, dressed in drag emulating Dr. Frank N. Furter. During that same time you had the cocaine cowboys all over the place.

Charles Knight		03-Mar-2009 13:57
I iz a social Flutterby!

Leighton		02-Mar-2009 10:55
Was not referring to this particular "room," which isn't that active, anyway. Was pretty obviously referring to discussions of ailments and weather, which have driven traffic from the site, in recent months. I keep my "circle" down to less than ten people - I'm even skipping my 30th HS reunion next year. I love reading about the history that I remember (and even that which I don't), but have zero desire to see anyone. I know, weird to most folks. I can't wait to see Miami again, sometime. Love to visit old haunts, whether it be in Miami, New Orleans, Nashville or LA.

Charles Knight		02-Mar-2009 04:55
Charlie here...Just got home from a reunion of an old band I was in, it was a lot of fun, talked to a lot of folks I haven't spoken with in twenty six years. Out of about a crowd of twelve hundred it seemed as though I knew ninety per cent! Wow am I tired!! Yeah Leighton...Some of us DO have lives, my best to you and all.

Leighton		01-Mar-2009 10:44
Wow, no comments for two days in this, or the main, room. People must have lives. Who would've thought it, from previous posts??

Leighton		26-Feb-2009 05:46
My older sister and I went to Miami Christian - WAY out Flagler, west. Great education, but crazy right wing, at the time. (It's still there, but more balanced.) Back then, they'd make the high school girls kneel on the pavement, to MEASURE THEIR SKIRTS!!!!! Weird, and law-suit material, today. Also, on one of our bus rides home, the driver asked my sister is she had gum in her mouth, (Apparently, a major crime.) She did, but lied, and said "No." He made her come to the front of the bus, and grabbed her by the hair, and yanked her by the pony-tail, back and forth, WHILE HE WAS DRIVING. Um, again, LAW-SUIT. How bizarre.

Leighton		26-Feb-2009 05:30
Ron, where did you move? Yeah, this'll get me in trouble, but the main room gets to be more than a bit maudlin, at times. Anyway, Miami was a bit weird when I had returned for UM, between 82 - 85. It seemed in limbo. I loved my childhood there, from 67 - 73. Only six years, but an eternity to a kid. One question - did you ride behind the mosquito trucks on your bike? Damn, it seems so many people our age, did. I guess it's no wonder that the DDT hasn't killed us, yet. The main icons for our group...Crandon, Dadeland, Venetian Pool, Skipper Chuck. But Charles K. kinda makes me feel inferior - he lived the life of an indie movie script. I was just a suburban kid, whose dad was a preacher.

Ron		25-Feb-2009 21:32
I checked out this site last year. It was very interesting at first. I quickly lost interest when I realized I was a "pup". I was born in 1963 as a second generation native of Miami. My time in Miami was spent in the North Dade/NW section. I went to all of the Norland schools as well as Hibiscus Elementary. We were within a couple of miles of the Dade Broward line on 441(NW 2nd Ave). We were seperated from the rest of Miami by I-95. The Cloverleaf. There now rests a Miami Dolphins Stadium where we used to ride dirt bikes in an area all of us called The Ponderosa. I left Miami for good in 1984. I'm glad there is a section here for my generation. I'll be checking back soon. Thanks, Ron

Leighton		25-Feb-2009 07:55
Sorry to find out that the CG Playhouse is dead.

Leighton		25-Feb-2009 06:46
Well, it was predominantly gay in mid-80s. What is it now......upscale? I know they've built a lot of shops in the past 25 years. I remember, as a kid, the hippies in the late 60s/early 70s, before we moved away in 74. (I returned in 82 for UM.) But I didn't see them in the Grove, as my family didn't go through there.

Charles Knight		25-Feb-2009 00:20
Oh yeah Leighton...Picture this, everywhere you look, bell bottoms, Lennon glasses, Sandals, posters, nudity, rock music, peace symbols, the smell of patchulli (sic) and marijuana,people making love right out ithe open at Peacock park. It was a very different world.

Leighton		24-Feb-2009 18:25
I remember the Grove from 1982 - 85, different place it sounds.

Kenny Blanton		24-Feb-2009 13:50
LUM'S???!!! I sold some little pills in Lum's that made you feel REAL GOOD!!! We sold 10,000 of them one summer!!! NEVER got cought. I HOPE the statue of limitations is up now. I THINK it is since it happened in 1972!!! Yeah, we had it!!

Charles Knight		24-Feb-2009 04:39
Bro...Don't get me started on the Grove, talk about lost weeks! Lum's, the Oak Feed Store, etc. we had it all didn't we.

Kenny Blanton		23-Feb-2009 14:37
Oh yeah, I remember "The Time Machine"!!!! She was hard but fair. Never went to Reno's Ranch but we used to go out to Stiltsville to Judge Knuck's (sp) house out there. He was a federal Judge. I spent a LOT of time in "The Grove" with all the hippies because I was one. (Still am!!) I remember The White Baron too but I had forgotten about him till I read it on here a few days ago!!

Charles Knight		23-Feb-2009 04:57
Yeah, I'm sure he did...He knew all the Judges including Ellen Morphonius (she tried Jim Morrison's lewdness case). I remember Mr. Kirk and Mr. Chiles as they were both friends of dads, I still speak with Governer Chiles' daughter sometimes. Did you ever go to Reno's ranch ( yes that Reno, her folks actually), it was only a half mile or so east of Blue Lake mobile Home park off Flagler St, they had a great Sunday afternoon Rodeo with live broadcasts of the White Baron (chuck Zinks later character) and lots of fun things for adults and kids.

Kenny Blanton		22-Feb-2009 23:12
I went to Blue Lakes Emementary. I bet your Dad knew my Dad, Judge John R. Blanton. His Father, Judge W. F. Blanton, was Dade County Judge for 50 years, 1918 to1969. Then Gov. Claude Kirk appointed my dad to take his Dads place.

Charles Knight		22-Feb-2009 00:26
Of course I remember Swampwater, I went to Seminole Elemtary, and had a lot of friends in Blue Lake.

Kenny Blanton		21-Feb-2009 05:46
Charlie, I know you lived in Sweetwater, but do you remember SWAMPWATER??!!

Kenny Blanton		21-Feb-2009 02:16
I'm BAAAAAAAAAAACK!!!!!!!!!!! I'm just reading the thing about the guy in the wheelwell & I remember a guy that flew from somewhere else & they found him at the airport in Miami, in a wheelwell frozen to death. I have a friend, a Miami native, who is 52, & whose mother came to S.W. Miami, near the corner of Galloway Rd. & Miller Dr. in 1953, who says he remembers the guy that froze too. But none of us remember the guy that fell out of the plane. Anyway, I went to Blue Lakes, Glades Jr. High & Southwest High. I'll be 53 in a couple of months so we are all right around the same age.

Charles Knight		20-Feb-2009 06:30
I Googled it and got several cases of wheel well stowe aways...Just not the one you mentioned, if you find it let me know.

Leighton		20-Feb-2009 01:30
It must have been - I thought I was at least nine years old - around 71? I'm sure Jeff will know. There was a shot of the guy falling - photo was on the front page of the Herald. I may Google a bit more...

Charles Knight		19-Feb-2009 19:03
Yes, I do recll the stowe away incident, I don't recall having ever seen photos though...Was it in the "70s?

Leighton		19-Feb-2009 13:56
Do you remember an incident - must have been early 70s? - when a guy stowed away in the landing gear section of an airplane, and after it took off from the Miami airport, he fell out, as the gear started to "close"? Somehow, somebody managed to get a photo of him falling. (I think he landed in a street, or something.) The whole thing really "traumatized" me, as a kid. I made a half-hearted attempt at Google-ing it, but found nothing.

Leighton		17-Feb-2009 16:18
Thanks for reminding me of Douglas - I need to read both her book, and the biography of her life.

Charles Knight		17-Feb-2009 14:10
Actually you're correct M.K. Rawlings wrote Cross Creek, my hero...Ms. Douglas wrote River of Grass. Sorry for the literary confusion. Charlie

Leighton		16-Feb-2009 11:44
Yeah, I finally figured that out - normally, I'm not quite so slow. But I always heard her referred to as Marjorie K. Rawlings.

Charles Knight		16-Feb-2009 05:08
No, I just had a post work beer buzz and entered the wrong initials for Ms. Douglas!

Leighton		15-Feb-2009 05:45
OK, I'm confused - are there two of you?

Charles Knight		14-Feb-2009 14:50
I don't know who M.J.S. is but evidently it's one of my ( Budweiser's) friends heros (sic). One of MY heroes is Marjorie Stoneman Douglas the author of Cross Creek and champion of Everglades preservation.

Charles Knight		12-Feb-2009 18:43
M.J.S. Is one of my heros!

Leighton		12-Feb-2009 00:52
Damn, I think "Cross Creek" was on TCM this morning - meant to record it. Your family's story would make an excellent character piece - there's a TON of material there. I'm listening to "Duma Key" a second time - Book on Tape - the only one I've ever listened to - prefer to read them.

Charles Knight		10-Feb-2009 19:04
No, I've had a couple of authors express an interest in ghost writing a bio, and although I've led an interesting one I just don't see it as being that worthy. In the nineties I was told that someone had approached my brother about doing a fictional account of his escapades, kind of an American Crocodile Dundee type thing. Obviously it never materialized. I just remembered a story about my brother being hired to act in a cigarette commercial back in the sixties...I'll post it on the Myspace site. I am not S.A.G. and therefore am not on the "official credits" for either film, I am however credited (unoffically) for Incident at Channel Q on the IMDB site as the actor portraying "Horowitz (characters name). Also, on Incident, I am featured on the rear covers bottom right corner in a photograph as Horowitz LOL!

Leighton		09-Feb-2009 17:10
Has NOBODY approached you for a screenplay???? Fascinating story. I'll IMDb those two films - I'm not familiar with the titles.

Charles Knight		09-Feb-2009 05:39
Leighton, the building on my myspace page is the old "Monroe Station", The Federal Park Service owns all of the land for MILES around, my familys bar "Gator Hook Lodge was taken by the government in the '77 lad grab, my brother burned it down in the mid eighties. It had been vandalized quite badly and there were just too many memories there too let it continue. I acted in Knights of the City (Warner Bros.) & Incident at Channel Q (Polygram filmedistributed by RCA Features), they're both available in VHS but not DVD yet. Charlie.

Leighton		07-Feb-2009 19:19
Who owns the original building? The weather appears to have been rough on it, for the past forty years. (As seen on your MySpace page.) And what movies are/were you in?

Charles Knight		06-Feb-2009 20:12
I think we lost Kenny...Oh my gosh...They killed Kenny! (sorry Kenny), are you out there?

Charles Knight		06-Feb-2009 20:09
Thanks Leighton, I'm hoping the economy is better soon as I am putting together a very detailed business plan for a tourist destination based on Gator Hook and a completely Florida gift/novelty bazaar, I've already secured trademarks and copyrights. Hoping to have the real web site up soon. We'll see...Just checked out the main room and it's still "the weather" and something about Bobby Vee and asking Barbera something or other. I'm not sure but it seems as though most of the Miami based landmarks have already been mentioned, and as much as I love my hometown...CK.

Leighton		05-Feb-2009 16:46
CK - fascinating stuff! The topic just screams for a screenplay. The closest I came to that area, was in 1984, while lensing a student film at a roadside park off 41 - it was beyond the Loop, I think. (Park with pedestrian walkways/bridges through the swamp, with picnic tables, and such.)

Leighton		04-Feb-2009 19:04
Thanks for the info - I'll definitely look it up, as it's an aspect of South Florida history that I know nothing about. I'm afraid some of the rambling in the main room has chased our age group away - I'm almost 47 myself. I was hoping for more feedback from the late 60s/early 70s, when I was a kid.

Charles Knight		04-Feb-2009 14:33
Leighton, I check here every couple of days as I suspect you do, alas...I am sorely disapointed by the lack of interest our so called "pups" have failed to show after Don went to the trouble of giving us this area. I do find it somewhat amusing to be called a "pup" at nearly fifty two years of age though! I have started a new site on Myspace about my youth, the folks, and experiences I recall while living in the Everglades. Several folks have shown an interest and I have even been contacted by the author, Tim Dorsey as his next novel culminates at my family's bar there. To check it out just log on to Myspace and navigate to...Gator Hook Lodge on the Loop road, I don't know...You may find some of it interesting. Charles.

Charles Knight		25-Jan-2009 19:27
Hey Kenny, did you go to Rockway Jr. High?

Leighton		21-Jan-2009 06:06
Hopefully, the conversation will be more stimulating than the weather chat in the main room.

Charles Knight		20-Jan-2009 18:18
Hi Leighton, give it some more time. I for one have not stopped sending messages to old friends from the '70s and '80s in Miami, I figure some will eventually get involved.

Leighton		17-Jan-2009 23:54
Well, I'd say this particular "young" room is a failed experiment. About three years ago, I was paid really good money to monitor the chat rooms of a new politically-based web site. Within a month, they had turned into personal newsletters for about six people, and I moved on. I was hoping to generate some new comments, beyond the stuff in the main room. Oh, well. I'll continue to enjoy the photos. (And refrain from discussing the weather.)

Leighton		23-Dec-2008 16:09
Still have my treasured "Big John" stuffed dog from the 67 Wishbook. My favorite toy was a metal, four-story car garage (with "Sears" on it), from the 66 Wishbook - it was large, intricate and awesome. I have a photo, but my parents disposed of it in the 70s. I almost bought one on eBay last year, but the price went to $150. These days, kids have dumbed-down baby stuff. We somehow survived metal toys, with technical aspects that a dog could NOT operate. Kenny, my father remembers your grandfather, and thinks that Dr. Fulton conducted the funeral, although he himself was there.

Don Boyd		23-Dec-2008 06:06
Video games galore from the 1983 Sears Wishbook: http://www.retroist.com/2008/12/17/the-video-game-systems-of-the-1983-sears-wishbook/ Don

Leighton		10-Dec-2008 23:50
Kenny, My dad was Assoc Pastor - Senior Pastor was Dr. Fulton. Later it was John Fain, but I bet it was Dr. Fulton who presided. (I'll ask my father.) The church manse was way over in the Fairlawn area, off Flagler - NW 63rd Court. Sofia, Yes, Canton's was it!! Toby's was leveled in the early 80s - large pink Deco-ish building at the corner of 8th and....not sure, maybe 27th.

Kenny Blanton		10-Dec-2008 17:41
Leighton: Sorry it took so long to answer you. I don't get on here as much as I used to. Anyway, we went to your Dad's church from about '62 till '69, when my Grandfether died. I think maybe he (or another pastor from there) presided over his funeral on Jan. 20th, 1969. I was born in 1956 & left Miami in '78. Lived in SW Miami off of Miller Rd. & Galloway Rd.

Sofia		10-Dec-2008 17:05
The Andalusia Bakery is now a bakery/restaurant called Chocolate Fashion. The food is fantastic, and they make the best hot chocolate you've ever tasted. I'm sure they must add some corn starch because it's very thick, and all of their deserts are made of top-quality ingredients. It's a very popular place during lunchtime. I live practically walking distance from there. The Sambo's is indeed a Denny's now. I'm not familiar with Toby's. The Chinese restaurant you may be referring to is Canton's. That used to be very popular in the eighties and then when they expanded, something just happened and people stopped going as often.

Charles Knight		10-Dec-2008 14:30
If you haven't already done so you might send this link to old friends from Miami etc. I recently did and fervently hope to see them contributing sometime soon.

Leighton		09-Dec-2008 19:21
Hi, Sofia, Anyway - Farrell's was a place that we didn't go often, as Westland wasn't my parent's favorite mall. It was Dadeland every Friday, after school, with dinner at The Forum Cafeteria. I can still SMELL that entry hall, and see the decor. It seemed so exotic, with the fountain, and the round check-out booth. The balloons with the candy-striped long sticks. Go to the mall section, to read about the demise of the famous tiled seahorse, that graced the mall for all those years. Christmas for me, then, was a boat ride through the Ft Lauderdale canals to see the lights....that huge display at a private home in Coral Gables...going to the beach Christmas day BECAUSE WE COULD...etc. My weirdest Christmas, ever, was when my best friend and I (he lived a block away), got the EXACT SAME banana bike - totally unknown to our parents. I think I was given a set of Clackers, the same year. I was SO sad to see that the Andalusia Bakery in Coral Gables had shut down - they had THE most incredible cheesecake, and we always had one for the holidays. I have tried, hopelessly, to find the green punch concentrate that my mother purchased each Christmas for punch - it was somewhere in South Miami or Kendall. Toby's Cafeteria on 8th was another favorite, it was near my dad's church, so we'd stop by occasionally. Every Sunday night, after church, it was Sambo's on Miracle Mile - I think it's a Denny's now, but the same building is there. My 80s UM experience was TOTALLY different, but I was too busy with classes. I did have a favorite Hunan Chinese place in the Gables, Ponce or LeJeune - I think it's still there.

Sofia		09-Dec-2008 17:16
Leighton -- I read your post asking if anyone remembers Farrell's . . . and yes, I remember it quite well. I used to frequent the one in Hialeah's Westland Mall in the early seventies. It was always such a treat to go there, especially as a small kid celebrating a birthday. I agree that the small, plastic animals they inserted into the big bowl of ice cream (The Zoo) was a choke hazard. I distinctly remember the first thing I noticed when I walked into the parlour were the big lollypops with the colored swirls. I googled Farrell's just to see what came up and was happy to see they still have Farrell's operating in Hawaii and California. I'm certain that if they started popping up again around the country, people of all ages would frequent them. By the way, I doubt very much Don intended to slight you in any way. I've been reading the posts on this blog for a long time, and have found him to be kind, welcoming and appreciative of all visitors and regular posters. Sometimes the "written" word can be misinterpreted and come across as harsch when its intention is meant in jest.

Leighton		09-Dec-2008 16:04
I'm hoping that people fifty and under, gravitate to this space. I've found that the "main" room concentrates on the fifties and early sixties (or even sooner). As I've said, I lived in Miami from 67 - 74, then 82 - 85. It's just a different experience, I've learned.

Leighton		05-Dec-2008 00:44
I've Googled a Figaro's Pizza chain, but it started in 1981, and not nationwide till later. The name rings a bell, for sure - I'll have to ask my parents.

Don Boyd		03-Dec-2008 21:29
An Italian restaurant with pretty good food as I recall and they showed old black and white films, usually comedies like the Three Stooges and others. There was one on W. 49th Street on the west side of the K-Mart shopping plaza, one on the south side of 167th Street not too far east of Miami Avenue, and probably others in the county. Don

Leighton		03-Dec-2008 19:01
What was/is Figaro's?

Guest		03-Dec-2008 08:24
I was born in 1970. I spent my Saturdays with my family at Westland mall. I loved Farell's!! I had a couple of b-days there. Until this site, I couldn't remember the name of that place. There was also Zayre's, the water slide (when was that around? I can't remember where it was either), Figaro's (my mom worked there for a time--we loved the old movies they played and the juke box). So many memories. we lived near the westland, near HML, and then moved to northwest dade (near American Sr High).

Leighton		24-Nov-2008 02:51
Born in 62, myself. I'm really glad I lived in Miami as a kid - 67 - 73. Wouldn't trade those memories of Crandon, Dadeland, Venetian Pool, Parrot Jungle, etc. for anything. Did anybody go to Farrell's (sp?)...it still cracks me up, that the big deal was ordering a HUGE bowl of ice cream (about a dozen flavors), with PLASTIC ANIMALS MIXED IN!!!! Talk about a lawsuit waiting to happen. That, and riding our banana bikes behind the mosquito trucks, soaking in all that wonderful DDT. And, jumping on and off the Crandon Park miniature train. And that bizarre "amusement park" at Crandon, that had seen better days, even in 1967. Guess I was the exception, in the preacher's kid department. My parents were strict, but not overtly so. I felt nothing to rebel against. Plus, my mom was the "cool" minister's wife - gogo boots, mini-skirt. (My dad still preaches at nearly 78 years of age, and my mother is a church secretary and organist.) I've been in San Antonio for twenty years - not sure why. Regardless of how much Miami has changed (and I hear the horror stories), it's still in my blood.

Sofia		23-Nov-2008 20:38
Hello Leighton and Charles -- I guess I qualify as a "young pup" for this blog, born in '63. Leighton, I can relate to you in that my father was a Methodist Sunday school teacher, but I spent my teen years attending a Presbyterian church he discovered that had a big youth group. My dad wanted to make sure I made friends within the church environment in order to keep me from hanging out too much with my school friends and going to the clubs. (The issue of pre-destination wasn't important to him at the time.) Anyway, it didn't work. Half the kids from the youth group were party animals anyway. Sometimes we'd run into each other at the clubs and we'd smile, say hello and say "I didn't see you here, and you didn't see me." One of them was the preacher's kid.

Charles Knight		23-Nov-2008 17:09
Actually Leighton, I had a friend that was a Baptist preachers son and he was a wild child! And...I could tell you a story about the Go Go's that would curl you hair, since this is a family friendly site I'll not do that. If it seem's as though yours truly has done just a little too much in his lifetime please keep in mind this is excactly what I had in mind!

Leighton		23-Nov-2008 14:57
I'm sure "quiet" is the wrong adjective. It just seemed "under the radar." I was there only three years (82 - 85), before heading out to LA, and USC. Can't believe my last visit to Miami was twenty years ago. Being the preacher's kid that I am, I've lived a pretty tame life. (No, not all preacher's kids are wild - that's a myth.) I did know the Grove, but a different universe, I'm sure. The only concert I went to, during those years, was the Go-Gos (shoot me), and would you believe, the lead-in was INXS??!!!! My roommate's sister was a flight attendant for Eastern - she had a cool condo on one of those islands in the bay - forget the name. When she was out of town, we crashed there. Good times, I will admit.

Charles Knight		23-Nov-2008 04:45
Well Leighton, I was actually born in '57 but still haven't grown up yet...In the eighties I was involved in many things and although you may think otherwise, Miami was anything but "quiet" during that era. Cocaine was king and so was Hair Metal. I had many friends in both areas and as a result many, many lost weekends. Fortunately I survived. One of my best friends that has since passed away was one of the largest marijuana distributors in the world, at least two Semi's a week. There were the nightclubs in the Grove and weekend forays to Broward, parties with anyone from Black Sabbath to ZZ Top, rock stars loved (and still do) Miami. There was Woody's, 1231, The China Club, and oh so many Miami Vice type clubs. I was a singer in a very popular Los Angeles based band and had a studio in South Miami. You mention Crandon Park...In the mid seventies we would show up there with amps etc. and before you knew it there was a party, we also did that at Haulover up north a bit! Those were truly carefree days! And the girls...Let me tell you brother, I would not trade my memories for any amount of money. I've always said you can't beat the natural beauty of a Florida girl.

Leighton		22-Nov-2008 23:11
Well, I grew up in the late 60s/early70s in Miami, but came back to UM in the Mid-80s. Would love to hear anybody's memories from that 80s period. It was a weird time for Miami - post riots, pre-Andrew. I watched them build the Metrorail. It just seemed a quiet time in Miami. My UM friends and I, would hit the Silver Sands "hut" bar on Key Biscayne, and have Crandon Beach all to ourselves.

Don Boyd		22-Nov-2008 18:54
Leighton requested a comments section for the younger folks who grew up in the 80's and 90's in the Miami area so this is it. Please feel free to post your memories of the 80's and 90's in this gallery so others may rejuvenate their memories. Don

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